EXHIBIT 1.1
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
January 24, 2001
Enterprise Products Operating L.P.
2727 North Loop West
Houston, Texas 77008-1038
Enterprise Products Partners L.P.
2727 North Loop West
Houston, Texas 77008-1038
Dear Sirs:
We (the "Representatives") are acting on behalf of the underwriters
(including ourselves) named below (such underwriters being herein called the
"Underwriters"), and we understand that Enterprise Products Operating L.P., a
Delaware limited partnership (the "Company"), proposes to issue and sell
$450,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes Due 2011 (the "Notes")
with the guarantee (the "Guarantee" and, together with the Notes, the
"Securities") endorsed thereon of Enterprise Products Partners L.P., a Delaware
limited partnership and the ultimate parent company of the Company (the
"Guarantor"). The Securities will be issued pursuant to the provisions of the
Indenture dated as of March 15, 2000 (as such Indenture shall be supplemented to
the date hereof) (the "Indenture") among the Company, the Guarantor and First
Union National Bank, as trustee (the "Trustee").
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth or incorporated by reference
herein, the Company hereby agrees to sell and the Underwriters agree to
purchase, severally and not jointly, the respective principal amounts of Notes
set forth below opposite their names at a purchase price of 99.287% of the
principal amount of Notes plus accrued interest, if any, from January 29, 2001
to the date of payment and delivery:
UNDERWRITERS PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF NOTES
Goldman, Sachs & Co. $180,000,000
Salomon Smith Barney Inc. $180,000,000
Banc One Capital Markets, Inc. $ 22,500,000
First Union Securities, Inc. $ 22,500,000
Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. $ 22,500,000
Tokyo-Mitsubishi International plc $ 22,500,000
------------
Total $450,000,000
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The Underwriters will pay for the Notes upon delivery thereof at the
location identified below at 9:00 a.m. (Houston time) on January 29, 2001, or at
such other time or date, not later than seven full business days thereafter, as
shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representatives. The time and date
of such payment and delivery are hereinafter referred to as the "Closing Date."
The Notes shall have the terms set forth in the Prospectus dated January
14, 2000 and the Prospectus Supplement dated January 24, 2001, including the
following:
Representatives and addresses:
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
85 Broad Street
23rd Floor
New York, New York 10004
Attention:
Salomon Smith Barney Inc.
390 Greenwich Street
New York, New York 10013
Attention:
with a copy of notices pursuant
to Section 9(c) to:
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
85 Broad Street
23rd Floor
New York, New York 10004
Attention:
Salomon Smith Barney Inc.
390 Greenwich Street
New York, New York 10013
Attention:
Certain Terms of the Notes:
Title of Notes: 7.50% Senior Notes Due 2011
Aggregate Principal
Amount of Notes: $450,000,000
Maturity Date: February 1, 2011
Interest Rate: 7.50%
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Interest Payment Dates February 1 and August 1, commencing:
August 1, 2001
Record Dates: January 15; July 15
Redemption Provisions: The Notes will be redeemable, at the
option of the Company, at any time in
whole, or from time to time in part, at
a price equal to the greater of (i)
100% of the principal amount of the
Notes to be redeemed or (ii) the sum of
the present values of the remaining
scheduled payments of principal and
interest thereon (exclusive of interest
accrued to the date of redemption)
discounted to the date of redemption on
a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day
year consisting of twelve 30 day
months) at the applicable Treasury
Yield (as defined in the Indenture)
plus 30 basis points, plus, in either
case, accrued interest to the date of
redemption.
Repayment Provisions: There is no sinking fund.
Transfer Agent and Registrar: First Union National Bank
Closing Date and Location: January 29, 2001
Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.
2300 First City Tower
1001 Fannin Street
Houston, TX 77002-6760
The Notes are to be offered to the public at the Initial Public Offering Price
specified below, and to dealers at prices that represent concessions not in
excess of the Dealer Concession set forth below, and the Underwriters may allow
and such dealers may reallow concessions not in excess of the Reallowance
concession set forth below:
Initial Public Offering Price: 99.937% of the principal amount of the
Notes plus accrued interest from
January 29, 2001, if any
Dealer Concession: 0.40% of the principal amount of the
Notes
Reallowance Concession: 0.25% of the principal amount of the
Notes
The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that the Underwriters' Information
consists solely of the following information in any Preliminary Prospectus and
the
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Prospectus: (i) the concession and reallowance figures in the third paragraph,
(ii) the fourth, fifth and tenth paragraphs, and (iii) the third sentence of the
sixth paragraph of "Underwriting" in the Prospectus Supplement.
All provisions contained in the document entitled Enterprise Products
Operating L.P. and Enterprise Products Partners L.P. Underwriting Agreement
Standard Provisions (Debt Securities) dated January 24, 2001 (the "Standard
Provisions"), are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety and shall
be deemed to be a part of this Agreement to the same extent as if such
provisions had been set forth in full herein, except that if any term defined in
such document is otherwise defined herein, the definition set forth herein shall
control.
This Agreement may be signed in any number of counterparts, each of which
shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and
hereto were upon the same instrument.
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Please confirm your agreement by having an authorized officer sign a copy
of this Agreement as of the date first set forth above in the space set forth
below.
Very truly yours,
FOR THE UNDERWRITERS:
GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
By: /s/ Goldman, Sachs & Co.
------------------------
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
SALOMON SMITH BARNEY INC.
By: /s/ Andrew Safran
-----------------
Name: Andrew Safran
Title: Managing Director
FOR THE COMPANY AND THE GUARANTOR:
ENTERPRISE PRODUCTS OPERATING L.P.
By: Enterprise Products GP, LLC,
its general partner
By: /s/ Michael A. Creel
--------------------
Name: Michael A. Creel
Title: Senior Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer
ENTERPRISE PRODUCTS PARTNERS L.P.
By: Enterprise Products GP, LLC,
its general partner
By: /s/ Michael A. Creel
--------------------
Name: Michael A. Creel
Title: Senior Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer
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ENTERPRISE PRODUCTS OPERATING L.P.
ENTERPRISE PRODUCTS PARTNERS L.P.
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
STANDARD PROVISIONS
(DEBT SECURITIES)
January 24, 2001
From time to time, Enterprise Products Operating L.P., a Delaware limited
partnership (the "Company"), and Enterprise Products Partners L.P. (the
"Guarantor"), may enter into one or more underwriting agreements that provide
for the sale of designated securities to the several underwriters named therein.
The standard provisions hereof set forth herein may be incorporated by reference
in any such underwriting agreement (an "Underwriting Agreement"). The
Underwriting Agreement, including the provisions hereof incorporated therein by
reference, is herein sometimes referred to as this "Agreement". Terms defined
in the Underwriting Agreement are used herein as therein defined.
The Company and the Guarantor have filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") a registration statement on Form S-3 (file number
333-93239), including a prospectus, relating to the debt securities and has
filed with, or transmitted for filing to, or shall promptly hereafter file with
or transmit for filing to, the Commission a prospectus supplement (the
"Prospectus Supplement") specifically relating to the Securities pursuant to
Rule 424 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act").
The registration statement as amended at the date of the Underwriting Agreement,
including information, if any, deemed to be part of the registration statement
at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act, is
hereinafter referred to as the "Registration Statement." The term "Basic
Prospectus" means the prospectus included in the Registration Statement. The
term "Prospectus" means the Basic Prospectus together with the Prospectus
Supplement. The term "Preliminary Prospectus" means a preliminary prospectus
supplement specifically relating to the Securities, together with the Basic
Prospectus. As used herein, the terms "Registration Statement," "Basic
Prospectus," "Prospectus" and "Preliminary Prospectus" shall include in each
case the documents, if any, incorporated by reference therein. The terms
"supplement," "amendment" and "amend" as used herein shall include the filing of
all documents deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus that are
filed subsequent to the date of the Underwriting Agreement by the Company with
the Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act"). If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement
to register additional debt securities pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the
Securities Act (the "Rule 462(b) Registration Statement"), then any reference
herein to the term "Registration Statement" shall be deemed to include such Rule
462(b) Registration Statement. For purposes of this Agreement, "Effective Time"
means the date and time the Registration Statement became effective, and if
later, the date of filing of the Guarantor's most recent Annual Report on
Form 10-K.
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1. Representations and Warranties. Each of the Guarantor and the Company
represents and warrants to and agree with the several Underwriters on and as of
the date of the Underwriting Agreement and the Closing Date:
(a) The Registration Statement has become effective under the Securities
Act; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose are pending
before or, to the best knowledge of the Guarantor or the Company,
threatened by the Commission.
(b) The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus (the "Exchange Act
Reports"), when they were filed with the Commission, conformed in all
material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder and none of such documents
contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a
material fact necessary to make the statements in the Prospectus, in light
of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and any
further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, when
such documents are filed with the Commission, will conform in all material
respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder and shall not contain an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to a state a material fact necessary
to make the statements in the Prospectus, in light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading.
(c) At the Effective Time, the Registration Statement did, and when the
Prospectus is first filed in accordance with Rule 424(b) and on the Closing
Date, the Prospectus (and any supplements thereto) will, comply in all
material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act
and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the "Rules and
Regulations") and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "Trust
Indenture Act"), and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder; at the Effective Time, the Registration Statement did not or
will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
make the statements therein not misleading; at the Effective Time and on
the Closing Date, the Indenture did or will conform in all material
respects with the applicable requirements of the Trust Indenture Act and
the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; and, the Prospectus
on the date of the Prospectus and on the Closing Date (together with any
supplement thereto), did not and will not, include any untrue statement of
a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to (i)
that part of the Registration Statement which shall constitute the
Statement of Eligibility and Qualification (Form T-1) of the Trustee under
the Trust Indenture Act or (ii) information contained in or omitted from
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto) in
reliance
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upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Guarantor
and the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for use
therein, which is set forth in the Underwriting Agreement (the
"Underwriters' Information").
(d) The Guarantor, the Company and each of their respective subsidiaries
listed on Schedule I hereto (the "Subsidiaries") and Enterprise Products
GP, LLC have been duly formed and are validly existing and in good standing
under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of formation, are duly
qualified to do business and are in good standing as foreign corporations,
limited liability companies or partnerships, as the case may be, in each
jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or
the conduct of their respective businesses requires such qualification, and
have all corporate, limited liability company or partnership power, as the
case may be, and authority necessary to own or hold their respective
properties and to conduct the businesses in which they are engaged and, in
the case of Enterprise Products GP, LLC, to act as general partner of the
Guarantor and the Company, except where the failure to so qualify or have
such power or authority would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a
material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), results
of operations, business or prospects of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries
taken as a whole or the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole (a
"Material Adverse Effect").
(e) The Guarantor has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the
Prospectus under the heading "Capitalization"; all of the outstanding
partnership interests of the Guarantor and the Company have been duly and
validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; and
the partnership interests of the Guarantor and the Company conform in all
material respects to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus.
All of the outstanding shares of capital stock, partnership interest or
membership interest, as the case may be, of each Subsidiary have been duly
and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable,
except that, for each Subsidiary of which the Company and/or the Guarantor
own 50% or less of the outstanding capital stock, partnership interest or
membership interest, as the case may be, such representation and warranty
is limited to the ownership interest set forth on Schedule I hereto. The
Company and/or the Guarantor, as the case may be, owns the shares of
capital stock, partnership interest or membership interest in each
Subsidiary as set forth on Schedule I hereto free and clear of any lien,
charge, encumbrance (other than contractual restrictions on transfer),
security interest, restriction upon voting or any other claim of any third
party.
(f) The Guarantor has full right, partnership power and authority to
execute and deliver this Agreement, the Indenture and the Guarantees and to
perform its obligations hereunder and thereunder; the Company has full
right, partnership power and authority to execute and deliver this
Agreement, the Indenture and the Notes (this Agreement, the Indenture, the
Guarantee and the Notes collectively, the "Transaction Documents") and to
perform its obligations
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hereunder and thereunder; and all partnership action required to be taken
by the Guarantor or the Company for the due and proper authorization,
execution and delivery of each of the Transaction Documents to which it is
a party and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby have
been duly and validly taken.
(g) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
each of the Guarantor and the Company and constitutes a valid and legally
binding agreement of each of the Guarantor and the Company.
(h) The Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act
and has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the
Guarantor and the Company and is a valid and legally binding agreement of
each of the Guarantor and the Company enforceable against each of the
Guarantor and the Company in accordance with its terms, except to the
extent that such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other
similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and by general equitable
principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(i) Each of the Notes has been duly authorized by the Company, and the
Guarantee has been duly authorized by the Guarantor, and when duly
executed, authenticated, issued and delivered as provided in the Indenture
and, in the case of the Notes, paid for as provided herein, each of the
Notes and the Guarantee will be duly and validly issued and outstanding and
will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of each of the
Guarantor and the Company, as the case may be, entitled to the benefits of
the Indenture and enforceable against each of the Guarantor and the
Company, as the case may be, in accordance with its terms, except to the
extent that such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other
similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and by general equitable
principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(j) Each Transaction Document conforms in all material respects to the
description thereof contained in the Prospectus.
(k) The execution, delivery and performance by each of the Guarantor and
the Company of each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party,
the issuance, authentication, sale and delivery of the Notes and the
issuance of the Guarantee and compliance by each of the Guarantor and the
Company with the terms thereof and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by the Transaction Documents to which it is a party will not
conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or
provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or
imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets
of the Guarantor, the Company or any of their respective Subsidiaries
pursuant to, any material indenture, mortgage, deed of
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trust, loan agreement or other material agreement or instrument to which
the Guarantor, the Company or any of their respective Subsidiaries is a
party or by which the Guarantor, the Company or any of their respective
Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the
Guarantor, the Company or any of their respective Subsidiaries is subject,
nor will such actions result in any violation of the provisions of the
organizational documents of the Guarantor, the Company or any of their
respective Subsidiaries or any statute or any judgment, order, decree, rule
or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental agency or body
having jurisdiction over any of the Guarantor, the Company or any of their
respective Subsidiaries or any of their properties or assets; and no
consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing or registration
with, any such court or arbitrator or governmental agency or body under any
such statute, judgment, order, decree, rule or regulation is required for
the execution, delivery and performance by the Guarantor or the Company of
each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party, the issuance,
authentication, sale and delivery of the Notes, the issuance of the
Guarantee and compliance by the Guarantor or the Company with the terms
thereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the
Transaction Documents to which it is a party, except for such consents,
approvals, authorizations, filings, registrations or qualifications (i)
which shall have been obtained or made prior to the Closing Date and (ii)
as may be required to be obtained or made under the Exchange Act, and
applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and
distribution of the Notes by the Underwriters. The Commission has not
issued any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary
Prospectus.
(l) Deloitte & Touche LLP are independent certified public accountants
with respect to the Guarantor, the Company and their respective
subsidiaries as required by the Securities Act and the Rules and
Regulations. The historical financial statements (including the related
notes and supporting schedules) contained or incorporated by reference in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply in all material
respects with the applicable requirements under the Securities Act and the
Exchange Act (except that certain supporting schedules are omitted); such
financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles consistently applied throughout the periods
covered thereby and fairly present the financial position of the entities
purported to be covered thereby at the respective dates indicated and the
results of their operations and their cash flows for the respective periods
indicated; and the financial information contained or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus under the
headings "Capitalization", "Selected Financial Data" and "Management's
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations"
are derived from the accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries
and fairly present the information purported to be shown thereby. The pro
forma financial information, if any, contained or incorporated by reference
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus has been prepared on a
basis consistent with the historical financial statements contained or
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus (except for the pro forma
adjustments specified therein), includes all material adjustments to
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the historical financial information required by Rule 11-02 of Regulation
S-X under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act to reflect the
transactions described in the Prospectus, gives effect to assumptions made
on a reasonable basis and fairly presents the transactions described in the
Prospectus. The other historical financial and statistical information and
data included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus are, in all
material respects, fairly presented.
(m) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the
Guarantor, the Company, or any of their respective Subsidiaries is a party
or of which any property or assets of the Guarantor, the Company or any of
their respective Subsidiaries is the subject that, singly or in the
aggregate, if determined adversely to the Guarantor, the Company or any of
their respective Subsidiaries, could reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect; and to the best knowledge of the Guarantor or the
Company, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental
authorities or threatened by others.
(n) No action has been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order
has been enacted, adopted or issued by any governmental agency or body
which prevents the issuance of the Securities or suspends the sale of the
Notes in any jurisdiction; no injunction, restraining order or order of any
nature by any federal or state court of competent jurisdiction has been
issued with respect to the Guarantor, the Company or any of their
respective Subsidiaries which would prevent or suspend the issuance or sale
of the Notes, the issuance of the Guarantee or the use of the Preliminary
Prospectus or the Prospectus in any jurisdiction; no action, suit or
proceeding is pending against or, to the best knowledge of the Guarantor or
the Company, threatened against or affecting the Guarantor, the Company or
any of their respective Subsidiaries before any court or arbitrator or any
governmental agency, body or official, domestic or foreign, which could
reasonably be expected to interfere with or adversely affect the issuance
of the Notes or in any manner draw into question the validity or
enforceability of any of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party
or any action taken or to be taken pursuant thereto; and each of the
Guarantor and the Company has complied with any and all requests by any
securities authority in any jurisdiction for additional information to be
included in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus.
(o) There are no contracts or other documents that are required under
the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations to be described in the
Prospectus or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement and that have
not been so described or filed.
(p) None of the Guarantor, the Company or any of their respective
Subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its organizational documents, (ii) in
default in any material respect, and no event has occurred which, with
notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the
due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained
in any material indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other
material agreement or
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instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound or to which any
of its property or assets is subject or (iii) in violation in any material
respect of any law, ordinance, governmental rule, regulation or court
decree to which it or its property or assets may be subject, except in the
case of (ii) and (iii) for such defaults or violations which would not,
either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(q) Each of the Guarantor, the Company and each of their respective
Subsidiaries possesses all material licenses, certificates, authorizations
and permits issued by, and has made all declarations and filings with, the
appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies that
are necessary or desirable for the ownership of their respective properties
or the conduct of their respective businesses as described in the
Prospectus, except where the failure to possess or make the same would not,
singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, and none of the
Guarantor, the Company or any of their respective Subsidiaries has received
notification of any revocation or modification of any such license,
certificate, authorization or permit or has any reason to believe that any
such license, certificate, authorization or permit will not be renewed in
the ordinary course.
(r) No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of
the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement has been made or
reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in
good faith.
(s) Since the date as of which information is given in the Prospectus,
except as otherwise stated therein, (i) there has been no material adverse
change or any development involving a prospective material adverse change
in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business
affairs, management or business prospects of the Guarantor and its
Subsidiaries taken as a whole or the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as
a whole, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, (ii)
none of the Guarantor, the Company or any of their respective Subsidiaries
has incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent,
other than in the ordinary course of business, (iii) none of the Guarantor,
the Company or any of their respective Subsidiaries has entered into any
material transaction other than in the ordinary course of business and (iv)
there has not been any change in the capital or long-term debt of the
Guarantor or the Company, or any dividend or distribution of any kind
declared, paid or made by the Guarantor or the Company on any class of its
partnership interests.
(t) None of the Guarantor, the Company or any of their respective
Subsidiaries is (i) an "investment company" or a company "controlled by" an
investment company within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act"), and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder or (ii) a "holding company" or a
"subsidiary company" of
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a holding company or an "affiliate" thereof within the meaning of the
Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended.
(u) Each of the Guarantor, the Company and each of their respective
Subsidiaries has insurance covering its respective properties, operations,
personnel and businesses, which insurance is in amounts and insures against
such losses and risks as are adequate to protect each of the Guarantor, the
Company and each of their respective Subsidiaries and their respective
businesses. None of the Guarantor, the Company or any of their respective
Subsidiaries has received notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer
that capital improvements or other expenditures are required or necessary
to be made in order to continue such insurance.
(v) Each of the Guarantor, the Company and each of their respective
Subsidiaries owns or possesses adequate rights to use all material patents,
patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark
registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses and know-
how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable
proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) necessary
for the conduct of their respective businesses; and the conduct of their
respective businesses will not conflict in any material respect with, and
the none of the Guarantor, the Company or any of their respective
Subsidiaries have received any notice of any claim of conflict with, any
such rights of others.
(w) Each of the Guarantor, the Company and each of their respective
Subsidiaries has (i) good and defensible title to all its interests in its
properties that are material to the operations of the Guarantor, the
Company and each of their respective Subsidiaries, considered as a whole,
title investigations having been carried out by or on behalf of the
Guarantor, the Company or any of their respective Subsidiaries in
accordance with customary practice in the natural gas processing and
transportation industry in the areas in which they operate and (ii) good
and marketable title in fee simple to, or have valid rights to lease or
otherwise use, all items of other real and personal property which are
material to the business of the Guarantor, the Company or any of their
respective Subsidiaries in each case free and clear of all liens,
encumbrances, claims and defects and imperfections of title except such as
(1) do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made
of such property by the Guarantor, the Company or any of their respective
Subsidiaries, (2) could not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect or (3) are Permitted Liens (as defined in the Indenture).
(x) There has been no storage, generation, transportation, handling,
treatment, disposal, discharge, emission or other release of any kind of
toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances, including, but not
limited to, natural gas liquids, by, due to or caused by the Guarantor, the
Company or any of their respective Subsidiaries (or, to the best knowledge
of the Guarantor and the Company, any other entity (including any
predecessor) for whose acts or
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omissions the Guarantor, the Company or any of their respective
Subsidiaries is or could reasonably be expected to be liable) upon any of
the property now or previously owned or leased by the Guarantor, the
Company or any of their respective Subsidiaries, or upon any other
property, in violation of any statute or any ordinance, rule, regulation,
order, judgment, decree or permit or which would, under any statute or any
ordinance, rule (including rule of common law), regulation, order,
judgment, decree or permit, give rise to any liability, except for any
violation or liability could not reasonably be expected to have, singly or
in the aggregate with all such violations and liabilities, a Material
Adverse Effect; and there has been no disposal, discharge, emission or
other release of any kind onto such property or into the environment
surrounding such property of any toxic or other wastes or other hazardous
substances with respect to which the Guarantor or the Company has
knowledge, except for any such disposal, discharge, emission or other
release of any kind which could not reasonably be expected to have, singly
or in the aggregate with all such discharges and other releases, a Material
Adverse Effect.
2. Purchase of the Notes.
(a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements
contained herein, and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein
and in the Underwriting Agreement, the Company agrees to issue and sell to
each of the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, and each of the
Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the
Company, the principal amount of Notes set forth opposite the name of such
Underwriter in the Underwriting Agreement at the purchase price set forth
in the Underwriting Agreement.
(b) The Company shall not be obligated to deliver any of the Notes
except upon payment for all of the Notes to be purchased as provided
herein. Each of the Guarantor and the Company acknowledges and agrees that
the Underwriters may sell Notes to any affiliate of an Underwriter and that
any such affiliate may sell Notes purchased by it to an Underwriter.
3. Delivery of and Payment for the Notes.
(a) Delivery of and payment for the Notes shall be made on the Closing
Date at the time and place set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.
(b) On the Closing Date, payment of the purchase price for the Notes
shall be made to the Company by wire or book-entry transfer of same-day
funds to such account or accounts as the Company shall specify prior to the
Closing Date or by such other means as the parties hereto shall agree prior
to the Closing Date, against delivery to the Underwriters of the
certificates evidencing the Notes. Time shall be of the essence, and
delivery at the time and place specified pursuant to this Agreement is a
further condition of the obligations of the Underwriters hereunder. Upon
delivery, the Notes shall be in global form, registered in such names and
in such denominations as the Representatives on behalf of the
9
Underwriters shall have requested in writing not less than one full
business day prior to the Closing Date. The Company agrees to make one or
more global certificates evidencing the Notes available for inspection by
the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters in New York, New York at
least 24 hours prior to the Closing Date.
4. Further Agreements of the Guarantor and the Company. Each of the
Guarantor and the Company agrees with each of the several Underwriters:
(a) (i) to prepare the 462(b) Registration Statement, if necessary, in a
form approved by the Underwriters and to file such 462(b) Registration
Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) of the Rules
and Regulations by 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the business day
following the date of determination of the public offering price and, at
the time of filing, either to pay the Commission the filing fee for the
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or give irrevocable instructions for the
payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b) of the Rules and Regulations
and (ii) to file the Prospectus with the Commission pursuant to and in
accordance with Rule 424(b) within the time period prescribed by such rule
and to provide evidence satisfactory to the Underwriters of such timely
filing;
(b) to file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information
statement required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant
to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the
date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a Prospectus is
required in connection with the offering of the Securities;
(c) prior to filing with the Commission any (i) amendment to the
Registration Statement (including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement)
or supplement to the Prospectus, (ii) any document incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus or (iii) any Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424 of
the Rules and Regulations, to furnish a copy thereof to the Representatives
and counsel for the Underwriters, and not to file any such document to
which the Representatives shall reasonably object after having been given
reasonable notice of the proposed filing thereof unless the Company is
required by law to make such filing;
(d) to advise the Underwriters promptly of any amendment or supplement
to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or of any request by the
Commission therefor, and of the issuance by the Commission of any stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the
initiation of any proceedings for that purpose; to advise the Underwriters
promptly of any order preventing or suspending the use of any prospectus
relating to the Securities, of the suspension of the qualification of the
Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction and of the initiation
or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose; and to use its best
efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or of any such order
preventing or suspending the use of any prospectus relating to the
Securities or suspending any such qualification and, if any such
10
stop order or order or suspension is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof
at the earliest possible time;
(e) to furnish promptly to each of the Underwriters and counsel for the
Underwriters a copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed with
the Commission, and each amendment thereto filed with the Commission,
including all consents and exhibits filed therewith; and to deliver
promptly without charge to the Underwriters such number of the following
documents as the Underwriters may from time to time reasonably request: (i)
conformed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed with the
Commission and each amendment thereto (in each case excluding exhibits
other than this Agreement, the Indenture and the computation of the ratio
of earnings to fixed charges), (ii) each Preliminary Prospectus, the
Prospectus and any amended or supplemented Prospectus and (iii) each
document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus (excluding exhibits
thereto);
(f) if the delivery of a prospectus is required at any time in
connection with the sale of the Securities and if at such time any events
shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or
supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when
such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or if for any other reason it
shall be necessary or advisable at such time to amend or supplement the
Prospectus in order to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act
or with a request from the Commission, to notify the Underwriters
immediately thereof, and to promptly prepare and, subject to Section 4(c)
hereof, file with the Commission an amended Prospectus or a supplement to
the Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or effect such
compliance;
(g) as soon as practicable to make generally available to the
Guarantor's security holders and to deliver to the Underwriters an earnings
statement of the Guarantor and its subsidiaries (which need not be audited)
complying with Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the Rules and
Regulations (including, at the option of the Guarantor, Rule 158);
(h) promptly take from time to time such actions as the Underwriters may
reasonably request to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under
the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriters
may designate and to continue such qualifications in effect for so long as
required for the resale of the Securities; and to arrange for the
determination of the eligibility for investment of the Securities under the
laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriters may reasonably request;
provided that none of the Guarantor, the Company or any of their respective
subsidiaries shall be obligated to qualify as foreign corporations in any
jurisdiction in which they are not so qualified or to file a general
consent to service of process in any jurisdiction;
11
(i) for a period of 30 days from the date of the Prospectus, not to
offer for sale, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of, directly or
indirectly, or file a registration statement for, or announce any offer,
sale, contract for sale of or other disposition of any debt securities
issued or guaranteed by the Guarantor, the Company or any of their
respective subsidiaries (other than the Notes), without the prior written
consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters;
(j) in connection with the offering of the Securities, until the
Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters shall have notified the
Guarantor and the Company of the completion of the distribution of the
Securities, not to, and to cause its affiliated purchasers (as defined in
Regulation M under the Exchange Act) not to, either alone or with one or
more other persons, bid for or purchase, for any account in which it or any
of its affiliated purchasers has a beneficial interest, any Securities, or
attempt to induce any person to purchase any Securities; and not to, and to
cause its affiliated purchasers not to, make bids or purchase for the
purpose of creating actual, or apparent, active trading in or of raising
the price of the Securities; and
(k) to apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Notes as set forth in
the Prospectus under the heading "Use of Proceeds".
5. Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations. The respective obligations
of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy, on and as of
the date of the Underwriting Agreement and the Closing Date, of the
representations and warranties of the Guarantor and the Company contained
herein, to the accuracy of the statements of the Guarantor and the Company and
the officers of their general partner made in any certificates delivered
pursuant hereto, to the performance by each of the Guarantor and the Company of
its obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional terms and
conditions:
(a) The Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission in
accordance with Section 4(a) of this Agreement, and, if applicable, the
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have become effective by 10:00
a.m. New York City time on the business day following the date of the
Underwriting Agreement. Prior to the Closing Date, no stop order suspending
the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall
have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been
initiated or threatened by the Commission; and any request of the
Commission for inclusion of additional information in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise shall have been complied with to
the reasonable satisfaction of the Underwriters.
(b) The Prospectus (and any amendments or supplements thereto) shall
have been printed and copies distributed to the Underwriters as promptly as
practicable on or following the date of the Underwriting Agreement or at
such other date and time as to which the Underwriters may agree.
12
(c) None of the Underwriters shall have discovered and disclosed to the
Guarantor or the Company on or prior to the Closing Date that the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto contains an untrue
statement of a fact which, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters,
is material or omits to state any fact which, in the opinion of such
counsel, is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary
to make the statements therein not misleading.
(d) All partnership proceedings and other legal matters incident to the
authorization, form and validity of each of the Transaction Documents and
the Prospectus, and all other legal matters relating to the Transaction
Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby, shall be satisfactory
in all material respects to the Underwriters, and the Guarantor and the
Company shall have furnished to the Underwriters all documents and
information that they or their counsel may reasonably request to enable
them to pass upon such matters.
(e) Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. shall have furnished to the Underwriters
their written opinion, as counsel to the Guarantor and the Company,
addressed to the Underwriters and dated the Closing Date, in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, substantially to the
effect set forth in Annex A hereto.
(f) Richard H. Bachmann, Esq. shall have furnished to the Underwriters
his written opinion, as Chief Legal Officer of the Guarantor and the
Company, addressed to the Underwriters and dated the Closing Date, in form
and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, substantially to
the effect set forth in Annex B hereto.
(g) The Underwriters shall have received from Baker Botts L.L.P.,
counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing
Date, with respect to such matters as the Underwriters may reasonably
require, and the Guarantor and the Company shall have furnished to such
counsel such documents and information as they request for the purpose of
enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(h) The Guarantor and the Company shall have furnished to the
Underwriters a letter (the "Initial Letter") of Deloitte & Touche LLP,
addressed to the Underwriters and dated the date of the Underwriting
Agreement, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters,
substantially to the effect set forth in Annex C hereto.
(i) The Guarantor and the Company shall have furnished to the
Underwriters a letter (the "Bring-Down Letter") of Deloitte & Touche LLP,
addressed to the Underwriters and dated the Closing Date (i) confirming
that they are independent accountants with respect to the Guarantor, the
Company and their respective subsidiaries as required by the Securities Act
and the Rules and Regulations, (ii) stating, as of the date of the Bring-
Down Letter (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments
since the respective dates as of
13
which specified financial information is given in the Prospectus, as of a
date not more than three business days prior to the date of the Bring-Down
Letter), that the conclusions and findings of such accountants with respect
to the financial information and other matters covered by the Initial
Letter are accurate and (iii) confirming in all material respects the
conclusions and findings set forth in the Initial Letter.
(j) Each of the Guarantor and the Company shall have furnished to the
Underwriters a certificate, dated the Closing Date, of the chief executive
officer and the chief financial officer of their general partner stating
that (A) such officers have carefully examined the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus, (B) in their opinion, the Registration Statement,
including the documents incorporated therein by reference, as of the
Effective Time, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and
did not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, and the
Prospectus, including the documents incorporated therein by reference, as
of the date of the Prospectus and as of the Closing Date, did not and does
not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not and does
not omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading, and (C) as of the Closing Date, the representations and
warranties of each of the Guarantor and the Company in this Agreement are
true and correct in all material respects, each of the Guarantor and the
Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on
its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or prior to the Closing
Date, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been
instituted or, to the best of such officer's knowledge, are contemplated by
the Commission, and subsequent to the date of the most recent financial
statements contained in the Prospectus, there has been no material adverse
change in the financial position or results of operations of the Guarantor,
the Company or any of their respective Subsidiaries, or any change, or any
development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or
affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations or
business of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or the
Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, except as set forth in the
Prospectus.
(k) The Indenture and any applicable supplement thereto, shall have been
duly executed and delivered by each of the Guarantor, the Company and the
Trustee, and the Notes (including the Guarantee endorsed thereon) shall
have been duly executed and delivered by each of the Guarantor and the
Company and duly authenticated by the Trustee.
(l) If any event shall have occurred on or prior to the Closing Date
that requires either the Guarantor or the Company under Section 4(f) to
prepare an amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, such amendment or
supplement shall have been prepared, the Underwriters shall have been given
a reasonable opportunity to comment thereon as provided in Section 4(c)
hereof, and copies
14
thereof shall have been delivered to the Underwriters reasonably in advance
of the Closing Date.
(m) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of the Underwriting
Agreement or, if earlier, the dates as of which information is given in the
Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereto) and the
Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), there shall not have been
any change in the partnership interests or long-term debt or any change, or
any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the
condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business or
prospects of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or the
Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, the effect of which, in any
such case described above, is, in the judgment of the Representatives on
behalf of the Underwriters, so material and adverse as to make it
impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering of the
Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement
and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).
(n) No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or
order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any governmental agency
or body which would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale
of the Securities; and no injunction, restraining order or order of any
other nature by any federal or state court of competent jurisdiction shall
have been issued as of the Closing Date which would prevent the issuance or
sale of the Securities.
(o) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of the Underwriting
Agreement (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the
Securities or any of the Guarantor's or the Company's other debt securities
or preferred stock by any "nationally recognized statistical rating
organization", as such term is defined by the Commission for purposes of
Rule 436(g)(2) of the Rules and Regulations and (ii) no such organization
shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review
(other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible
upgrading), its rating of the Securities or any of the Guarantor's or the
Company's other debt securities or preferred stock.
(p) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement there
shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) trading in securities
generally on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or
the over-the-counter market shall have been suspended or limited, or
minimum prices shall have been established on any such exchange or market
by the Commission, by any such exchange or by any other regulatory body or
governmental authority having jurisdiction, or trading in any securities of
the Guarantor or the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter
market shall have been suspended or (ii) any moratorium on commercial
banking activities shall have been declared by federal or New York state
authorities or (iii) an outbreak or escalation of hostilities or a
declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war or (iv) a
material adverse change in general economic, political or financial
conditions (or the effect of international conditions on the financial
markets in the
15
United States shall be such) the effect of which, in the case of this
clause (iv), is, in the judgment of the Representatives on behalf of the
Underwriters, so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or
inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the sale or the delivery
of the Notes on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement
and in the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).
All opinions, letters, evidence and certificates mentioned above or
elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the
provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory
to counsel for the Underwriters.
6. Termination. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be
terminated by the Underwriters, in their absolute discretion, by notice given to
and received by the Guarantor or the Company prior to delivery of and payment
for the Notes if, prior to that time, any of the events described in Section
5(m), (n), (o) or (p) shall have occurred and be continuing.
7. Defaulting Underwriters.
(a) If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter defaults in the performance
of its obligations under this Agreement, the non-defaulting Underwriters
may make arrangements for the purchase of the Notes which such defaulting
Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase by other persons satisfactory to
the Guarantor or the Company and the non-defaulting Underwriters, but if no
such arrangements are made within 36 hours after such default, this
Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-
defaulting Underwriters, the Guarantor or the Company, except that each of
the Guarantor and the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of
expenses to the extent set forth in Section 12 and except that the
provisions of Sections 9 and 10 shall not terminate and shall remain in
effect. As used in this Agreement, the term "Underwriters" includes, for
all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any
party not listed in the Underwriting Agreement that, pursuant to this
Section 7, purchases Notes which a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed
to purchase.
(b) Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of
any liability it may have to the Guarantor, the Company or any non-
defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default. If other persons
are obligated or agree to purchase the Notes of a defaulting Underwriter,
either the non-defaulting Underwriters, the Guarantor or the Company may
postpone the Closing Date for up to seven full business days in order to
effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Guarantor or the
Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other document or
arrangement, and each of the Guarantor and the Company agrees to promptly
prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus that effects any such changes.
16
8. Reimbursement of Underwriters' Expenses. If (a) this Agreement shall
have been terminated pursuant to Section 6, (b) the Guarantor or the Company
shall fail to tender the Notes for delivery to the Underwriters for any reason
permitted under this Agreement or (c) the Underwriters shall decline to purchase
the Notes for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Guarantor and the
Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for such out-of-pocket expenses
(including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) as shall have been
reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and
the proposed public offering and sale of the Notes, and upon demand the
Guarantor and the Company shall pay the full amount thereof to the Underwriters.
If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 7 by reason of the default
of one or more of the Underwriters, neither the Guarantor nor the Company shall
be obligated to reimburse any defaulting Underwriter on account of such
expenses.
9. Indemnification.
(a) Each of the Guarantor and the Company, jointly and severally, shall
indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, their
respective officers, directors, employees, representatives and agents, and
each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the
Securities Act or the Exchange Act (collectively referred to for purposes
of this Section 9(a) and Section 10 as an Underwriter), from and against
any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in
respect thereof (including, without limitation, any loss, claim, damage,
liability or action relating to purchases and sales of the Notes), to which
that Underwriter may become subject, whether commenced or threatened, under
the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, any other federal or state statutory
law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim,
damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or in
any amendment or supplement thereto or (ii) the omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, and shall
reimburse each Underwriter promptly upon demand for any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by that Underwriter in connection with
investigating or defending or preparing to defend against or appearing as a
third party witness in connection with any such loss, claim, damage,
liability or action as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that
the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any
such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based
upon, an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or
alleged omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in
conformity with any Underwriters' Information; and provided, further, that
with respect to any such untrue statement in or omission from any
Preliminary Prospectus, the indemnity agreement contained in this Section
9(a) shall not inure to the benefit of any such Underwriter to the extent
that the sale to the person asserting any such loss, claim, damage,
liability or action was an initial resale by such Underwriter and any such
loss, claim, damage, liability or action of or with respect to such
Underwriter results from the fact that both (A) to the extent required by
applicable law, a copy
17
of the Prospectus (excluding the documents incorporated by reference
therein) was not sent or given to such person at or prior to the written
confirmation of the sale of such Notes to such person and (B) the untrue
statement in or omission from such Preliminary Prospectus was corrected in
the Prospectus unless, in either case, such failure to deliver the
Prospectus was a result of non-compliance by the Guarantor or the Company
with Section 4(e).
(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, shall indemnify and
hold harmless the Guarantor, the Company, their general partner, the
respective officers of such general partner who signed the Registration
Statement, directors, and each person, if any, who controls the Guarantor
or the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act
(collectively referred to for purposes of this Section 9(b) and Section 10
as the Company), from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability,
joint or several, or any action in respect thereof, to which the Company
may become subject, whether commenced or threatened, under the Securities
Act, the Exchange Act, any other federal or state statutory law or
regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim,
damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or in
any amendment or supplement thereto or (ii) the omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, but in each case
only to the extent that the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or
omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity
with any Underwriters' Information provided by such Underwriter, and shall
reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred
by the Company in connection with investigating or defending or preparing
to defend against or appearing as a third party witness in connection with
any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are
incurred.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 9
of notice of any claim or the commencement of any action, the indemnified
party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the
indemnifying party pursuant to Section 9(a) or 9(b), notify the
indemnifying party in writing of the claim or the commencement of that
action; provided, however, that the failure to notify the indemnifying
party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have under this
Section 9 except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced
(through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure;
and, provided, further, that the failure to notify the indemnifying party
shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to an indemnified
party otherwise than under this Section 9. If any such claim or action
shall be brought against an indemnified party, and it shall notify the
indemnifying party thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to
participate therein and, to the extent that it wishes, jointly with any
other similarly notified indemnifying party, to assume the defense thereof
with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the
18
indemnified party. After notice from the indemnifying party to the
indemnified party of its election to assume the defense of such claim or
action, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to the indemnified party
under this Section 9 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred
by the indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than
reasonable costs of investigation; provided, however, that an indemnified
party shall have the right to employ its own counsel in any such action,
but the fees, expenses and other charges of such counsel for the
indemnified party will be at the expense of such indemnified party unless
(1) the employment of counsel by the indemnified party has been authorized
in writing by the indemnifying party, (2) the indemnified party has
reasonably concluded (based upon advice of counsel to the indemnified
party) that there may be legal defenses available to it or other
indemnified parties that are different from or in addition to those
available to the indemnifying party, (3) a conflict or potential conflict
exists (based upon advice of counsel to the indemnified party) between the
indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in which case the
indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the defense of such
action on behalf of the indemnified party) or (4) the indemnifying party
has not in fact employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified
party to assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time after
receiving notice of the commencement of the action, in each of which cases
the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of counsel will be at
the expense of the indemnifying party or parties. It is understood that the
indemnifying party or parties shall not, in connection with any proceeding
or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the
reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of more than one separate
firm of attorneys (in addition to any local counsel) at any one time for
all such indemnified party or parties. Each indemnified party, as a
condition of the indemnity agreements contained in Sections 9(a) and 9(b),
shall use all reasonable efforts to cooperate with the indemnifying party
in the defense of any such action or claim. No indemnifying party shall be
liable for any settlement of any such action effected without its written
consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), but if settled
with its written consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff
in any such action, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and hold
harmless any indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by
reason of such settlement or judgment. No indemnifying party shall, without
the prior written consent of the indemnified party (which consent shall not
be unreasonably withheld), effect any settlement of any pending or
threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could
have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such
indemnified party unless such settlement includes an unconditional release
of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject
matter of such proceeding.
The obligations of the Guarantor, the Company and the Underwriters in
this Section 9 and in Section 10 are in addition to any other liability that the
Guarantor, the Company or the Underwriters, as the case may be, may otherwise
have, including in respect of any breaches of representations, warranties and
agreements made herein by any such party.
19
10. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 9 is
unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section
9(a) or 9(b), then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such
indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified
party as a result of such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect
thereof, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative
benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the
other from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by
clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i)
above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the
Underwriters on the other with respect to the statements or omissions that
resulted in such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof,
as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits
received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other with
respect to such offering shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the
total net proceeds from the offering of the Notes purchased under this Agreement
(before deducting expenses) received by or on behalf of the Company, on the one
hand, and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the
Underwriters with respect to the Notes purchased under this Agreement, on the
other, bear to the total gross proceeds from the sale of the Notes under this
Agreement, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the
Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other
things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to the Company or
information supplied by the Company on the one hand or to any Underwriters'
Information on the other, the intent of the parties and their relative
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such
untrue statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it
would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 10
were to be determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were
treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation
that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein.
The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss,
claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in
this Section 10 shall be deemed to include, for purposes of this Section 10, any
legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in
connection with investigating or defending or preparing to defend any such
action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 10, no
Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount
by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such
Underwriter with respect to the Notes purchased by it under this Agreement
exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise paid or
become liable to pay by reason of any untrue or alleged untrue statement or
omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation
(within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to
contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations to contribute as provided in
this Section 10 are several in proportion to their respective underwriting
commitments and not joint.
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11. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure
to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters, the Guarantor, the
Company and their respective successors. This Agreement and the terms and
provisions hereof are for the sole benefit of only those persons, except as
provided in Sections 9 and 10 with respect to affiliates, officers, directors,
employees, representatives, agents and controlling persons of the Guarantor, the
Company and the Underwriters. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be
construed to give any person, other than the persons referred to in this Section
11, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this
Agreement or any provision contained herein.
12. Expenses. Each of the Guarantor and the Company agrees with the
Underwriters to pay (a) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale,
preparation and delivery of the Securities and any taxes payable in that
connection; (b) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under
the Securities Act of the Registration Statement and any amendments and exhibits
thereto; (c) the costs of printing and distributing the Registration Statement
as originally filed and each amendment thereto and any post-effective amendments
thereof (including, in each case, exhibits), any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, all as provided in this
Agreement; (d) the costs of printing, reproducing and distributing the
Indenture, this Agreement and any underwriting and selling group documents; (e)
the filing fees incident to securing any required review by the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. of the terms of sale of the Notes; (f)
the fees and expenses of the Guarantor's and the Company's counsel and
independent accountants; (g) the fees and expenses of preparing, printing and
distributing Blue Sky Memoranda (including related fees and expenses of counsel
to the Underwriters); (h) any fees charged by rating agencies for rating the
Securities; (i) all fees and expenses of the Trustee and any paying agent
(including related fees and expenses of any counsel to such parties); (j) the
costs incident to the marketing of the Securities to investors, including,
without limitation, all costs of the Company, the Guarantor and the Underwriters
related to any "roadshow" presentations; and (k) all other costs and expenses
incident to the performance of the obligations of the Guarantor and the Company
under this Agreement; provided that, except as provided in this Section 12 and
Section 8, the Underwriters shall pay their own costs and expenses.
13. Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution,
representations, warranties and agreements of the Guarantor, the Company and the
Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the
Guarantor, the Company or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any
certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment
for the Notes and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any
termination or cancellation of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on
behalf of any of them or any of their respective affiliates, officers,
directors, employees, representatives, agents or controlling persons.
14. Notices, etc. All statements, requests, notices and agreements
hereunder shall be in writing, and:
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(a) if to the Underwriters, shall be delivered or sent by mail or
telecopy transmission to the Representatives at the addresses set forth in
the Underwriting Agreement; or
(b) if to the Guarantor or the Company, shall be delivered or sent by
mail or telecopy transmission to Enterprise Products Partners L.P., 2727
North Loop West, Suite 700, Houston, Texas 77008-1038, Attention: Chief
Legal Officer (telecopier no.: 713-880-6570).
Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect at the
time of receipt thereof. Each of the Guarantor and the Company shall be
entitled to act and rely upon any request, consent, notice or agreement given or
made on behalf of the Underwriters by the Representative.
15. Definition of Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) the term
"business day" means any day on which the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. is open
for trading and (b) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term
"affiliate" has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 of the Rules and Regulations.
16. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
17. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by telecopier) and, if
executed in more than one counterpart, the executed counterparts shall each be
deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute
one and the same instrument.
18. Amendments. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this
Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any
event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties
hereto.
19. Headings. The headings herein are inserted for convenience of
reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or
interpretation of, this Agreement.
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SCHEDULE I
Subsidiaries of the Company and/or the Guarantor
SUBSIDIARY OWNERSHIP INTEREST PERCENTAGE
- ---------- -----------------------------
Enterprise Products Operating L.P. 98.9899
Entell NGL Services, LLC 100.00
Sorrento Pipeline Company, LLC 100.00
Sabine Propylene Pipeline L.P. 100.00
Propylene Pipeline Partnership, L.P. 100.00
Enterprise Lou-Tex Propylene Pipeline L.P. 100.00
Enterprise Lou-Tex NGL Pipeline L.P. 100.00
HSC Pipeline Partnership, L.P. 100.00
Cajun Pipeline Company, LLC 100.00
Chunchula Pipeline Company, LLC 100.00
Enterprise Gas Processing, LLC 100.00
Enterprise Products Texas Operating L.P. 100.00
Enterprise NGL Private Lines & Storage, LLC 100.00
Enterprise NGL Pipelines, LLC 100.00
Enterprise Norco LLC 100.00
Enterprise Fractionation LLC 100.00
EPIK Gas Liquids LLC 50.00
EPIK Terminalling L.P. 50.00
Baton Rouge Fractionators LLC 32.25
Baton Rouge Propylene Concentrator, LLC 30.00
Belvieu Environmental Fuels 33.30
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ANNEX A
[Form of Opinion of Outside Counsel for the Guarantor and the Company]
Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. shall have furnished to the Underwriters their
written opinion, as counsel to the Guarantor and the Company, addressed to the
Underwriters and dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Underwriters, substantially to the effect set forth below:
(i) The Registration Statement was declared effective under the
Securities Act and the Indenture was qualified under the Trust
Indenture Act as of the date and time specified in such opinion; [the
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement was filed with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Rules and Regulations on the date and
at the time specified in such opinion;] the Prospectus was filed with
the Commission pursuant to the subparagraph of Rule 424(b) of the
Rules and Regulations specified in such opinion on the date specified
therein; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement has been issued and, to the best of such
counsel's knowledge, no proceeding for that purpose is pending or
threatened by the Commission.
(ii) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any
further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus made by the Guarantor and the Company prior to the Closing
Date (other than the financial statements and related schedules
therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) comply as
to form in all material respects with the requirements of the
Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations; and the Exchange Act
Reports (other than the financial statements and related schedules
therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion), when they
were filed with the Commission complied as to form in all material
respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(iii) The Indenture complies as to form in all material respects
with the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(iv) The statements in the Prospectus under the heading "Federal
Income Tax Considerations -- Partnership Status," to the extent that
they constitute summaries of matters of law or regulation or legal
conclusions, have been reviewed by such counsel and fairly summarize
the matters described therein in all material respects.
(v) Each of the Guarantor and the Company has full right,
partnership power and authority to execute and deliver each of the
Transaction Documents to
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which it is a party and to perform its obligations thereunder; and all
partnership action required to be taken for the due and proper
authorization, execution and delivery of each of the Transaction
Documents to which it is a party and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated thereby have been duly and validly taken.
(vi) The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by each of the Guarantor and the Company and
constitutes a valid and legally binding agreement of each of the
Guarantor and the Company enforceable against each of the Guarantor
and the Company in accordance with its terms, except to the extent
that such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and
other similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and by
general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in
equity or at law) and except to the extent that the indemnification
provisions thereof may be unenforceable.
(vii) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by each of the Guarantor and the Company and, assuming due
authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the Trustee,
constitutes a valid and legally binding agreement of each of the
Guarantor and the Company enforceable against each of the Guarantor
and the Company in accordance with its terms, except to the extent
that such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and
other similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and by
general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in
equity or at law).
(viii) The Notes have been duly authorized and issued by the
Company and the Guarantee has been duly authorized and issued by the
Guarantor and, assuming due authentication thereof by the Trustee and
upon payment and delivery in accordance with the Underwriting
Agreement, will be duly and validly issued and outstanding and will
constitute valid and legally binding obligations of each of the
Guarantor and the Company entitled to the benefits of the Indenture
and enforceable against each of the Guarantor and the Company in
accordance with their terms, except to the extent that such
enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar
laws affecting creditors' rights generally and by general equitable
principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(ix) Each Transaction Document conforms in all material respects
to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus.
(x) None of the Guarantor, the Company or any of their
respective Subsidiaries is (A) an "investment company" or a company
"controlled by" an investment company within the meaning of the
Investment Company Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder, without taking account of any exemption under the
Investment Company Act arising out of the number of
2
holders of the Guarantor's or the Company's securities or (B) a
"holding company" or a "subsidiary company" of a holding company or an
"affiliate" thereof within the meaning of the Public Utility Holding
Company Act of 1935, as amended; and
Such counsel shall also state that they have participated in
conferences with representatives of the Guarantor and the Company and with
representatives of their independent accountants and counsel at which
conferences the contents of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and
any amendment and supplement thereto and related matters were discussed and,
although such counsel assume no responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or
fairness of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any amendment or
supplement thereto (except as expressly provided above), nothing has come to the
attention of such counsel to cause such counsel to believe that the Registration
Statement (or any post-effective amendment thereto), including any Exchange Act
Reports incorporated by reference therein, at the time of its effective date,
contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading, or that the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto,
including any Exchange Act Reports incorporated by reference therein, as of its
date and the Closing Date contains any untrue statement of a material fact or
omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (other
than the financial statements and other financial and statistical information
contained therein, as to which such counsel need express no belief).
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely as to matters of
fact, to the extent such counsel deems proper, on certificates of responsible
officers of the Guarantor and the Company and public officials which are
furnished to the Underwriters.
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ANNEX B
[Form of Opinion of Chief Legal Officer of the Guarantor and the Company]
Richard H. Bachmann, Esq., Chief Legal Officer of the Guarantor and
the Company, shall have furnished to the Underwriters his written opinion, as
counsel to the Guarantor and the Company, addressed to the Underwriters and
dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the
Underwriters, substantially to the effect set forth below:
(i) Each of the Guarantor, the Company and Enterprise Products
GP, LLC has been duly formed and is validly existing and in good
standing under the laws of Delaware, is duly qualified to do business
and is in good standing as a foreign partnership or foreign limited
liability company in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease
of property or the conduct of its businesses requires such
qualification, and has all partnership or limited liability company
power and authority necessary to own or hold its properties and to
conduct the businesses in which it is engaged and, in the case of
Enterprise Products GP, LLC, to act as general partner of the
Guarantor and the Company (except where the failure to so qualify or
have such power or authority would not, singly or in the aggregate,
have a Material Adverse Effect).
(ii) All of the outstanding shares of capital stock, partnership
interest or membership interest, as the case may be, of each
Subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully
paid and non-assessable, except that, for each Subsidiary of which the
Company and/or the Guarantor own 50% or less of the outstanding
capital stock, partnership interest or membership interest, as the
case may be, this opinion is limited to the ownership interest set
forth on Schedule I of the Underwriting Agreement. The Company and/or
the Guarantor, as the case may be, owns the shares of capital stock,
partnership interest or membership interest in each Subsidiary as set
forth on Schedule I hereto free and clear of any lien, charge,
encumbrance (other than contractual restrictions on transfer),
security interest, restriction upon voting or any other claim of any
third party.
(iii) The descriptions in the Prospectus of statutes, legal and
governmental proceedings and contracts and other documents (other than
the Transaction Documents) are accurate in all material respects; and,
to the best of such counsel's knowledge, (A) there are no current or
pending legal or governmental actions, suits or proceedings which are
required to be described in the Prospectus by the Securities Act or
the Rules and Regulations and which have not been so described and (B)
there are no contracts and other documents which are required under
the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations to be described in the
Prospectus or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement and
which have not been so described or filed.
1
(iv) The execution, delivery and performance by each of the
Guarantor and the Company of each of the Transaction Documents to
which it is a party, the issuance, authentication, sale and delivery
of the Notes and compliance by each of the Guarantor and the Company
with the terms thereof and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by the Transaction Documents to which it is a party will
not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the
terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in
the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any
property or assets of either the Guarantor or the Company or any of
their respective Subsidiaries pursuant to, any material indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other material agreement or
instrument known to such counsel to which either of the Guarantor or
the Company or any of their respective Subsidiaries is a party or by
which any of the Guarantor, the Company or any of their respective
Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the
Guarantor, the Company or any of their respective Subsidiaries is
subject, nor will such actions result in any violation of the
provisions of the organizational documents of the Guarantor, the
Company or any of their respective Subsidiaries or any statute or, to
the best knowledge of such counsel, any judgment, order, decree, rule
or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental agency or
body having jurisdiction over the Guarantor, the Company or any of
their respective Subsidiaries or any of their properties or assets;
and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing or
registration with, any such court or arbitrator or governmental agency
or body under any such statute, judgment, order, decree, rule or
regulation is required for the execution, delivery and performance by
either the Guarantor or the Company of each of the Transaction
Documents to which it is a party, the issuance, authentication, sale
and delivery of the Notes and compliance by each of the Guarantor and
the Company with the terms thereof and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents to which it is
a party, except for such consents, approvals, authorizations, filings,
registrations or qualifications (i) which shall have been obtained or
made prior to the Closing Date and (ii) as may be required to be
obtained or made under the Exchange Act and applicable state
securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of
the Notes by the Underwriters.
(v) To the best knowledge of such counsel, there are no pending
actions or suits or judicial, arbitral, rule-making, administrative or
other proceedings to which the Guarantor, the Company or any of their
respective Subsidiaries is a party or of which any property or assets
of Guarantor, the Company or any of their respective Subsidiaries is
the subject which (A) singly or in the aggregate, if determined
adversely to the Guarantor, the Company or any of their respective
Subsidiaries, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect or (B) questions the validity or enforceability of any of the
Transaction Documents to which it is a party or any action taken or to
be taken pursuant thereto; and to the best knowledge of such counsel,
no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental
authorities or threatened by others.
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ANNEX C
[Form of Initial Comfort Letter]
The Guarantor and the Company shall have furnished to the Underwriters
a letter of Deloitte & Touche LLP, addressed to the Underwriters and dated the
date of delivery thereof (which, if the Effective Time is prior to the execution
and delivery of the Underwriting Agreement, shall be on or prior to the date of
the Underwriting Agreement or, if the Effective Time is subsequent to the
execution and delivery of the Underwriting Agreement, shall be prior to the
filing of the amendment or post-effective amendment to the Registration
Statement to be filed shortly prior to the Effective Time), in form and
substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, substantially to the effect set
forth below:
(i) they are independent certified public accountants with
respect to the Guarantor and the Company as required by the Securities
Act and the Rules and Regulation and are in compliance with the
applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants
under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission;
(ii) in their opinion, the audited financial statements and pro
forma financial statements included or incorporated by reference in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and reported on by them
comply in form in all material respects with the accounting
requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the related
published rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (except
that certain supporting schedules are omitted);
(iii) based upon a reading of the latest unaudited financial
statements made available by the Guarantor and the Company, the
procedures of the AICPA for a review of interim financial information
as described in Statement of Auditing Standards No. 71, reading of
minutes and inquiries of certain officials of the Guarantor and the
Company who have responsibility for financial and accounting matters
and certain other limited procedures requested by the Underwriters and
described in detail in such letter, nothing has come to their
attention that causes them to believe that (A) any unaudited financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus do not comply as to form in all material
respects with applicable accounting requirements or (B) any material
modifications should be made to the unaudited financial statements
included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus for them to be in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles applied on a basis substantially
consistent with that of the audited financial statements included or
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus;
(iv) based upon the procedures detailed in such letter with
respect to the period subsequent to the date of the last available
balance sheet, including reading of minutes and inquiries of certain
officials of the Guarantor and the
1
Company who have responsibility for financial and accounting matters,
nothing has come to their attention that causes them to believe that
(A) at a specified date not more than three business days prior to the
date of such letter, there was any change in capital stock, increase
in long-term debt or decrease in net current assets as compared with
the amounts shown in the ________________, ___ unaudited balance sheet
included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or (B) for
the period from _________________, ____ to a specified date not more
than three business days prior to the date of such letter, there were
any decreases, as compared with the corresponding period in the
preceding year, in net sales, income from operations, EBITDA or net
income, except in all instances for changes, increases or decreases
that the Prospectus discloses have occurred or which are set forth in
such letter, in which case the letter shall be accompanied by an
explanation by either the Guarantor or the Company as to the
significance thereof unless said explanation is not deemed necessary
by the Underwriters;
(v) they have performed certain other specified procedures as a
result of which they determined that certain information of an
accounting, financial or statistical nature (which is limited to
accounting, financial or statistical information derived from the
general accounting records of the Guarantor and the Company) set forth
or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus agrees with the accounting records of the Guarantor and the
Company, excluding any questions of legal interpretation; and
(vi) on the basis of a reading of the unaudited pro forma
financial information included or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, carrying out certain
specified procedures, reading of minutes and inquiries of certain
officials of the Guarantor and the Company who have responsibility for
financial and accounting matters and proving the arithmetic accuracy
of the application of the pro forma adjustments to the historical
amounts in the pro forma financial information, nothing came to their
attention which caused them to believe that the pro forma financial
information does not comply in form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of Rule 11-02 of Regulation S-X or
that the pro forma adjustments have not been properly applied to the
historical amounts in the compilation of such information.
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